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Thursday, January 31, 2013

The calender seems to call for something a little romantic on the table so I have recruited my Haviland Limoges for the task. I love an old-fashioned feel for romance and so everything you see here is vintage except for the tablecloth.

Even the paper place mats are vintage. Except for a decorative use here and there I have managed to save a packet of them I found at the thrift store years ago. But I'm sure there is still something similar available out there. Just a touch of lace goes a long way for me, and I like the contrast of a dark surface to bring out the details. I've been using my damask linen tablecloth from Williams-Sonoma a lot since Thanksgiving. (It gets softer with every wash, and I don't iron it.)

Ruffled napkins in a milk glass compote are part of the centerpiece, and daffodil silver plate adds to the suggestion of spring.

I love vintage glassware and am using a lot in this setting. It makes more of a statement when you use a lot of it together. I love the romantic etched pattern of this drinking glass.

I wanted a bit of a farmhouse feel too. The shakers under glass are certainly not a novel idea, but I like the whimsy they add with all the frou frou.

I was looking for a way to use the papers I found at Rue de Lillie Antiques a few weeks ago. They are from a pad of paper I thought I might make napkin rings from. I just love the designs. (And some of you were wondering what I bought from that fabulous place, and this was it!) They make a nice menu card or place card. I love this garden theme. (That post is here.)

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

You hardly ever see this corner of my sitting room because the northern light is so bad for photos. There's a wall of shutters directly across from this cabinet.

It's nearly February and I only just put away my white bottle brush trees! You can see a post with them on the cabinet here. The white frames were just leaning against a wall in the hallway, and I liked the look of them just randomly stacked there, so I decided to move them to the top of the cabinet. They were also on the hearth earlier in winter and you can see them here.

The ironstone collection is also encroaching a little into this room for now as well.

I've got a case of cabin fever. The landscape is all bare and brown. And I hate to be disloyal to my home town, but winter is not its best looking season!

Prints make me even more restless when I'm spending a lot of time indoors. Suddenly nothing seems to go together for some reason! (Does that happen to you?) So white is wonderfully soothing to me. (My throw is a thrift store find.)

It's a blustery and overcast day. We are getting into the windy season here. It seems to last until May. The electricity just flickered on and off! We may be stoking up a fire before evening comes . . . .

And here's my mohair scarf all done! I'll be starting up some new project soon.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Life's little celebrations can be like taking a little vacation from yourself. By that I mean that the regular world requires decisions and commitments toward a decorating style. When you buy a certain couch or table, say, or a lamp, you are making assertions about a way of living. But a special occasion can be the perfect time to indulge those whims that never see daylight.

I don't decorate much like Rachel Ashwell, but I appreciate the beauty of her style. Valentines Day gives me a good excuse to indulge her ultra romantic way of putting things together.

When I went to make my Valentines box (from a shoe box) I knew I wanted soft and sweet. I took it one step at a time starting with a pastel wall paper I picked up ages ago from a thrift store (probably by Laura Ashley, another favorite), and added things from there.

The tattered cotton strips (heart strings) are a nod to both Rachel's pin bouquets and her dream catchers that I saw when I visited her shop last summer.

I then added a few cut out papers, paper doilies, stamps, and a different wall paper scrap with a larger rose motif. I wanted my box to be spare and simple like Rachel's style. But you can keep adding and adding to a box like this.

I was thrilled to pull out this Rachel blue rhinestone pin from my vintage jewelry stash! The key motif is perfect! I just pinned it on.

A small folded envelope with a heart punch from Michael's craft store.

A ribbon and more doilies wrapped around the bottom, and voila! Happy Valentine's day!

A box like this might be a fun prop for a Valentine Tea or dessert table, or even for serving up treats inside! Tell everybody to bring you a Valentine! *smile* Is that Chic? Or just Shabby?